Gunfire Ends Fragile Rwanda Truce

May 23, 1994

Mortar and machine-gun fire boomed through Rwanda's shattered capital Monday morning, breaking a UN-brokered truce almost as soon as it began. Rebel commander Gen. Paul Kagame blamed government troops for firing the first shots. "This morning the Rwandese government forces did not support the truce, so we had to hit back," he said.